"Spring roll sir?"

Jeff looked down at the plate of picked at hors d'oeuvres. "I'm good. Thanks."

As the waiter walked away Jeff looked around the ballroom. It all seemed so strange. Who ever heard of a cocktail hour without any liquor? To him it seemed to bring more attention to the fact that most of the people here couldn't drink.

Though he had to admit things hadn't been that bad so far. After stopping at a liquor store so Jeff could get a bottle of rum (while Jeff usually drank scotch he figured he could covertly add it to coke and no one would know the difference) they got to the church with plenty of time to spare. Annie warmly greeted everyone from her group and introduced them to Jeff. As soon as they saw him Jeff quickly assured everyone that he wasn't Annie's boyfriend and that they were just good friends. Although she wholeheartedly agreed Jeff could have sworn he saw an unreadable look pass through her eyes at the quickness he displayed at assuring everyone that their relationship was strictly platonic.

The ceremony went very well. It wasn't too long and it was more personal then religiously ceremonial. When it was time for the bride and groom to exchange vows he heard a sniff and saw that Annie had tears running down her cheeks. Without even thinking about it Jeff took her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. After a moment he internally started panicking about how she would react to this. But all she did was gently squeeze his hand back. They ended up holding hands for the rest of the ceremony.

The most memorable part of the whole ceremony was when it was time for the bride and groom to kiss. It just kept going, to the point where the priest was making 'wrap it up' motions with his hands. After a few moments Annie started giggling and before he could stop himself the two of them were doing everything possible to keep from hysterically laughing out loud. An older woman in front of them, who was already shocked by the length of the kiss, looked at them and said in a shrill voice "you shouldn't be laughing in the house of the Lord." This caused them to completely lose it and they had to run out of the church as their laughter echoed all around them. As they left Jeff glanced up at the alter, thinking the bride and groom would be angry at them. But no, they were using Jeff and Annie's distraction to deepen their kiss.

After the ceremony they drove back to the hotel, where the reception was being held. They joined the rest of the guests and made the rounds, introducing themselves to everyone. True to his word Jeff was being extremely discrete about adding rum to his glasses of coke. He was only on his second drink and he told himself he would only have a few more throughout the night.

"Well hello there."

Jeff turned around and saw a tall red haired woman in a tight pink dress walking towards him. "I'm Crystal."

"Jeff."

She looked him up and down, taking great pride in sizing him up. "I saw you run out of the church before laughing. I love it when people don't have the typical responses at weddings. Everyone is always so 'oh, it's so beautiful, let me sob a bunch of tears'. It's pathetic. Especially when you know they're most likely going to end up signing divorce papers."

Jeff stood there staring at her. He thought he was cynical, but this woman made him seem downright chipper. "If you hate weddings then why did you come?"

"The groom's my cousin, so I was kind of obligated. Sides, I figured I could meet a cute guy. Which from my angle that mission was accomplished. You came by yourself?"

Jeff glanced over at Annie, who was talking to two women and a man. He looked back at Crystal, who simply shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I'm sure no one will miss you for a hour or so. There's a supply closet next to the bathrooms in the lobby. Meet me there in five minutes." With that she turned and walked off, making a show of swaying her hips as she left.

Jeff downed the rest of his drink as he watched her leave. She may by unpleasant, but she was definitely hot. He was about to go join her when he looked back at Annie. She and the other two women were laughing as the guy seemed to mime climbing a ladder. As Jeff looked at them he found he didn't feel like leaving.

What are you doing, he thought. A hot angry redhead in a tight dress is waiting to have sex with you in a closet and you're not running after her? But even as he thought this he found his legs almost automatically walking over to Annie.

Annie smiled as he approached her. "Jeff, hi. Jeremy was just telling us about saving a kitten that was stuck in a tree."

"Cat saving? Isn't that usually reserved for firemen?"

Jeremy smiled ruefully. "Well yes, but that's not all I do. I also put out fires and save people from building buildings. But I have no issues with saving a cat, even though most times the reward is being scratched at."

Just then a bell rang, signaling that it was time for dinner. As everyone walked into the dining room Jeff held out his arm. Annie smiled and took it as they went over to their table.

….

"The chicken wasn't that dry."

"Are you kidding me Annie? I was about ready to dip it in my water glass so I could choke it down."

It was after dinner and everyone was out on the dance floor. Annie and Jeff had already danced through four songs. He had removed his jacket and loosened his collar, while she had lost a couple bobby pins from all the movement they were doing.

"Well at least the salad was good."

"Ok, I will give you that."

Just then the tempo changed as a slow song came on. Annie and Jeff looked at each other, smiling nervously. They moved their arms awkwardly before Jeff gently wrapped one arm around Annie's waist while taking hold of her hand with his other. Taking the lead he steered her in a tight circle, being careful not to step on her toes. As she rested her head on his chest he hoped she didn't notice that his heart was beating wildly against his ribcage. He could talk a jury into getting a drunk driver off without breaking a sweat, but being so close to this little woman was terrifying him.

When the song ended he pulled himself away from her. "I think I have to get a 'special' soda if I'm going to keep dancing. I'll be back in a sec."

Annie smiled and did a curtsey, or as much of one she could do in her dress. "Hurry back soon."

Jeff smiled as he did a small bow. "Will do, Milady."

Jeff got a soda and walked a little ways away, adding some rum to his coke. As he capped his flask he felt someone tapping on his shoulder. "I told you I'd be back in a-"

As he turned around he felt someone pull the flask out of his hand. He saw that the woman in front of him wasn't Annie, but Crystal. She held the flask in her hands as she looked at him angrily. "Well well well, look who decided to leave me waiting in a closet. And what's this here? You holding out on me?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm doing." Jeff tried to get the flask back but Crystal held it far behind her. "What are you, five. Just give it back to me."

"Now why would I do that? I think the bride and groom would very much like to hear that some guy is getting smashed in a room full of addicts. Or maybe I should go tell your little friend, that child who's trying to dress like a grownup. Seriously, is she your daughter or does she just have daddy issues?"

Jeff tried not to lose his cool as he looked at her smirking face. "I'd say she's a woman with more class and a better fashion sense then your bitter self will ever have. Seriously, a pink dress with red hair. Even for a straight guy I know that looks horrible. "

The smirk vanished from her face as quickly as a light bulb being turned off. She looked like she was going to throw the flask at his head. But instead she shoved it into his hands before marching off onto the dance floor.

Jeff glanced down at his reflection in the flask as the realization of what she said took hold. He was too old to ever have anything happen between himself and Annie. She was just starting her life, where he would be lucky if he could regain his before he hit 40. Anywhere they went people would look at them and whisper, thinking he was either a dirty old man or there was something seriously wrong with her. She's already been through enough hardship; he didn't need to add anymore.

Jeff uncapped the flask and drained the rest of the booze. Once it was empty he walked out of the hotel and over to his car so he could refill. Right now he didn't want to have a front row seat to his thoughts. And, maybe getting drunk would convince Annie he really was no good for her.

….

It was after midnight when their hotel room door swung open, revealing Annie supporting a very smashed Jeff. Despite him being bigger then her she managed to get him into the room and put him on one of the beds.

"So when I said not to get to drunk you heard 'hey, I'll drink a whole bottle of rum'."

"Compared to that night with Abed this was a night light. Least, least I didn't drunk dial anyone."

Annie glared at him as she sat on the other bed and removed her shoes. "My feet are killing me."

Jeff tried to remove his own shoes but realized they were already off his feet. "Where's my shoes?"

"You took them off when you decided to do the electric slide. While 'Don't Stop Believing' was playing." She finally softened at the memory of Jeff sliding around the dance floor. "Britta is going to hate me when she finds out I didn't take pictures of that."

Jeff hanged his head as he rubbed his temples. "I'm sorry Annie."

"It's not that big a deal. You did in a way become the life of the party."

"But you asked me not to drinks too much."

Annie simply shrugged. "It's ok. I've kind of grown accustomed to you doing whatever you want. That what makes you Jeff Winger."

"If I did whatever I want I wouldn't feel so guilty about the things I want to do with you."

Annie's hands paused in the middle of taking off her earrings as she looked at Jeff. Did he just say what she thought she heard? "What."

"Forget it."

She got up and sat down next to him. "Jeff, what were you trying to say?" She reached down and lifted his head up. "You can tell me."

Jeff looked into those big doe eyes of hers before leaning forward and kissing her. Her eyes widened in shock for a moment before she closed them and kissed him back. Annie wrapped her bare arms around his neck as Jeff ran his down her sides. Their tongues danced in each other's mouths as they went at it like two hormonal teenagers.

They spent the next several minutes making out before she finally pulled away from him. They both looked each other, neither sure how to proceed. "Um, I'll be right back." Annie said as she scrambled off the bed and quickly locked herself in the bathroom.

Is this really happening, she thought as she leaned against the door and slid to the floor. Are we making out? Are you making out with Jeff Winger?

She suddenly felt a surge of anger hit her. Why are you doing this to yourself? He's just going to say he didn't mean it, that you're too young, that relationships are complicated. You don't deserve this. You don't deserve to be played with like this. Because every time you think something might happen and it doesn't, it kills you inside.

She pulled herself up and walked out of the bathroom, only to see that Jeff had fallen asleep. Sighing deeply she tugged off his tie and pulled the covers over him before she changed into her sleep clothes and got into her own bed. Annie glanced over at Jeff's sleeping face before turning off the light.